Passes & Canyons Blog

LoJack, the makers of a tracking system for finding stolen motorcycles and other things, used to supply me with these fun stories on a regular basis. This was the first one. And of course, this is another Examiner resurrection.

Motorcycle thieves should be drawn and quartered. But first you have to catch them.

One bit of technology that is helping catch bike thieves is the security system marketed by LoJack. A LoJack technician hides a radio transmitter somewhere on your vehicle. If someone steals the vehicle you contact LoJack, the transmitter is remotely activated, and police can often pick up the signal and track it to its source.

LoJack, in a totally self-serving but understandable move, likes to publicize its successes. Recently they published their 2008 list of best bike thief busts. Here’s their list. Kinda makes you smile.

• Most Arrests Made in Recoveries – In less than 48 hours, LoJack for Motorcycles helped Las Vegas police and the Southern Nevada Auto Theft Task Force uncover two theft rings, leading to the arrest of ten suspects. Four stolen Honda motorcycles and a Yamaha ATV were recovered in the two raids.
• Fastest Motorcycle Recovery Leads to Big Chop Shop – A Yamaha YZR was recovered just eight minutes after the LoJack for Motorcycles system was activated. The recovery led Los Angeles police to find seven other stolen bikes and parts with an estimated total worth of over $100,000.
• Best Bust Reflecting the Trend of Selling Stolen Bikes Online – A potential motorcycle buyer saw an online advertisement for a motorcycle and contacted the posters about the bike. What the buyer didn’t know was that the poster did not own the bike advertised. Once the posters were contacted by the interested buyer, they allegedly stole a motorcycle that fit the description in the advertisement. Using this method, thieves could minimize the time they would be in possession of the stolen bike. LoJack’s recovery system located the bike ten minutes after activation about 75 miles away from where it was taken.
• Bike Stolen and Recovered Four Times in Nine Months – A Tuscon, Ariz. resident’s Yamaha YZF-R6 was stolen and recovered for the fourth time since August 2007. LoJack for Motorcycles helped police locate the bikes 14 minutes after activation.
• Best LoJack Early Warning Recovery – LoJack’s Early Warning system notified the owner of a Yamaha YZF-R6 after the bike was moved from his apartment’s parking lot without his permission. Police were able to track the system’s silent signal 20 minutes later moving on a local interstate highway. When officers closed in on the transmission, they had difficulty finding the R6. As officers passed a nearby cargo van, the signal’s direction arrow reversed. The police stopped the van and discovered the R6 and two other stolen motorcycles inside. Two suspects were arrested.

Biker Quote for Today

The necessities of life: 1. Air 2. Water 3. Food 4. My bike (And not necessarily in that order.)

Does it make you smile really hard when you hear of some bike thief getting busted? Then boy, I’ve got just the thing for you. This isn’t a commercial for LoJack but it could be interpreted that way.

You know about LoJack, right? They hide a radio transmitter in your vehicle and if it gets stolen the cops can often locate it quickly and get it back to you. And it’s not incidental that the guys who took it often end up getting picked up, too.

Now, I’ve never used LoJack, and heck, I really don’t think anyone is going to be interested in stealing my 1980 Honda CB750 Custom. It’s the Harleys these guys want. You guys with the bulls-eyes on your bikes know who you are.

Well, apparently LoJack releases an annual listing of the stolen motorcycle recoveries in the past year that they are most proud of. Straight from the press release, here’s this year’s list. Read it and smile.

“Most Arrests Made in Recoveries” – In less than 48 hours, LoJack For Motorcycles helped Las Vegas police and the Southern Nevada Auto Theft Task Force break up two theft rings, which led to the recovery of four Honda motorcycles, a Yamaha ATV and the arrest of 10 suspects.

“Fastest Motorcycle Recovery Leads to Big Chop Shop” – In this recovery, a Yamaha YZR was stolen and recovered in only eight minutes after the system was activated. Through this recovery, Los Angeles Police Department and LAPD Burglary Auto Division also found seven other stolen bikes and bike parts, valued at a total of more than $100,000!

“Best Bust Reflecting the Trend of Selling Stolen Bikes Online” – In this recovery, thieves advertised a bike online and, as soon as they got an interested buyer, stole a bike matching the one they had advertised. The thieves then delivered the stolen bike to the buyer, thus limiting the time they were in possession of the stolen item. Fortunately, the bike had LoJack For Motorcycles and its signal was picked up only 10 minutes after system activation – 75 miles away from where it was stolen.

“Bike Stolen – and Recovered – Four Times in Nine Months” – A Tucson resident discovered his 2007 Suzuki GSX-R 600 missing from his apartment, reported it stolen to police and just 14 minutes later, a police helicopter and ground vehicle tracked down the bike. This was the fourth time since August 2007 that the owner’s bike was stolen and recovered with LoJack For Motorcycles.

“Best LoJack Early Warning Recovery” – LoJack Early Warning notified the owner of a Yamaha YZF-R6 that his bike was moved without permission from the parking lot of his apartment. Police activated the system and within 20 minutes received the silent signal from the bike, which indicated it was on the move on a local interstate highway. Police then picked up a strong signal and did not see a bike, but rather a Chevrolet cargo van driving nearby. As the police passed the van, the signal’s directional arrow reversed, which indicated that the bike was inside the van. The police stopped the van, discovered the bike (plus two other stolen motorcycles) and arrested two suspects.

Is that sweet or what?

Biker Quote for Today

Sleep with one arm through the spokes and keep your pants on.